Load shedding

Should I trust a load-shedding app or my inverter schedule for battery prep in South Africa?

Use both: the public Stage calendar for planning, and the inverter/BMS schedule for automatic SoC floors — apps lag or mis-zone; the inverter only does what you configured.

Updated 27 October 2026 · Illustrative ranges — not a formal quote, credit decision or legal advice.

Answer first: Set battery SoC floors and optional grid-charge windows on the inverter for your typical Stage cluster. Use the app as a heads-up, not as the only control plane — SoC settings · Stage strategy · Stage 4 / table · grid-charge hub · load shedding.

Practical setup

Raise SoC the afternoon before predicted Stage 4 clusters.
Keep fibre/router on essentials so schedules and clocks stay sane.
Export a weekly CSV to see whether prep matched reality.

fibre backup · monitoring · dongle coverage.

Desk close

Keep metro and OEM PDFs beside this page. When rand bands disagree with a live primary, the primary wins — metro tariffs · tariffs 2026 · choose installer · get quotes · check a quote.

Sources homeowners can open

Your metro SSEG / tariff PDF (live municipal site).
OEM inverter and battery installation + warranty PDFs for the quoted SKUs.
NERSA and municipal tariff schedules for the current year.
SANS / NRS notes via your registered electrician (earthing, dual-supply, grid interface).

Commissioning evidence pack

Serial photos, firmware version, export-limit screenshot, CT polarity photo, dual-supply labels, CoC number, guest monitoring login — with the invoice PDF — CoC · export limit · CT clamps · labels · firmware.

Tariff and fixed-charge reminder

Fixed charges remain after panels go up — fixed charges · monthly savings · export vs self-use · bill still high · costs & savings.

Safety do-not list

Do not DIY dual-supply boards, earthing, or MC4 strings.
Do not bridge RCDs or defeat BMS protections.
Do not ignore isolation or earth-fault alarms.
Do not disable export limits or grid-interface settings.

DIY risks · earth leakage · MC4 · DC isolation · red flags.

Stage-weekend reality check

Essentials first through your worst Stage window — essentials · Stage strategy · Stage 4 · SoC · load shedding hub.

Extra SA context 1

Keep this page next to your metro tariff PDF and the OEM warranty letter for the SKUs on your quote. When numbers disagree, the live primary wins. After any Stage-calendar change, revisit SoC floors and the essential board list — SoC · Stage strategy · Stage 4 · essentials · monitoring · choose installer · get quotes · check a quote · FAQ · about.

Extra SA context 2

Extra SA context 3

Extra SA context 4

Extra SA context 5

Extra SA context 6

Extra SA context note 2

Keep metro and OEM PDFs beside this page. When rand bands disagree with a live primary, the primary wins. Revisit SoC and essentials after any Stage-calendar change — SoC · Stage strategy · Stage 4 · essentials · monitoring · choose installer · get quotes · check a quote · FAQ · about · costs & savings.

Extra SA context note 2

Homeowner action list

Match quote SKUs to installed serial photos.
Confirm export setpoint and CT polarity in the handover pack.
Put fibre/router on essentials so monitoring and clocks survive Stage.
File CoC, dual-supply photos and guest login with the invoice PDF.

CoC · export limit · CT clamps · fibre backup · labels · check a quote · get quotes.

Apps predict; inverter clocks spend battery

Load-shedding apps are forecasts. Your hybrid schedule is what actually discharges the battery. If the app shifts a Stage and your inverter still discharges on an old clock, you can hit reserve early. Prefer OEM integrations or manual SoC floors with a human check at supper time over blind auto Stage modes that fight TOU savings.

Set a hard reserve SoC for fridge + routers before chasing whole-house comfort.
After schedule changes, watch the first two Stages on the portal.
Savings still lead: do not grid-charge at peak just to feel safe unless the Stage is imminent — SoC settings · grid charge · Stage 4.

Homeowner close-out for load shedding app vs inverter schedule sa

Keep OEM and metro PDFs beside this answer. Confirm Incl. VAT line items, NRS-listed SKUs where relevant, and who owns paperwork after deposit. Compare two written scopes before you pay — read a quote · choose installer · check a quote · get quotes · costs & savings · metro tariffs.

Quick questions

Is the app enough?

No — configure SoC floors and grid-charge rules on the inverter.

Do schedules auto-update?

Some ecosystems ingest calendars; many need manual Stage profiles.

What if the app is wrong?

Believe the lights — then check Eskom/muni feeds.

Guest Wi-Fi down?

Local schedule should still run; put router on essentials.